Fare-card for use at ferries



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED MALTBIE LYNES, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

FARE-CARD FOR USE AT FERRIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,497, dated May 19, 1891.

Application filed November 21, 1890. Serial No. 372,139. (N model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

7 number of horses or head of cattle, the size of the vehicle, the number of horses by which the vehicle may be drawn, and according to the number of persons which may accompany or be upon said vehicle. These charges have been usually made and collected by men stationed at the gates leading to the boats, and the money thus obtained handed over to the clerks or officials of the ferry company from time to time during the day. Under this system of collections and accountings the ferry companies have lost in the aggregate large sums of money by reason of the dishonesty of its servants, there being no means whatever for preventing without detection the retention of part of the money received by the gateman or collecter or by the clerk or otficial to whom said collector pays the money over.

My invention has for its object to provide a means whereby dishonest practices of this sort may be prevented, or at least reduced to an extent such that the losses can amount to but very little.

In carrying out my invention I employ a card which on one sideis divided into squares or sections containing printed values, (as 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 30 cents,) and which on the reverse side is printed in blank suitable matter, WhlOll when filled out shall identify or give the name of the ferry company, the date at which the card is used, the side of the ferryf ro m wh tab the boat leaves, the name of the boat, the tune of its leaving, and the collectors signature, all as will be now more fully explained, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a view of one side of the card or blank used by me, and Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the same.

Referring to Fig.1, it will be observed that the card A is divided into nine squares or sections a b c d efg h In the section a is printed the numeral and word 1 cent, in the section Z) the numeral and word 2 cents, in the section 0 the numeral and word 5 cents, in the section at the numeral and word 10 cents, in the section a the numeral and word 20 cents, in the sectionf the numeral and word 30 cents, in the section 9 the numeral and word 10 cents, in the section It the words Amount collected on this boat and also the sign 51B, and in section 2, at the center of the card, the following instruction:

The collector must punch out fare in its 7 proper place immediately on receiving it. The amount-sections a, (1,0, (1, e, andf, which are to be punched, are arranged around and extend to the edges of the rectangular card for the more convenient application of the gatemans punch to the blank portions and the speedy collection and recording of tolls, and

by thus arranging these sections there is no liability of destroying the identifying matter on the reverse side of the card, which, as will be seen, is printed centrally and does not eX- tend out to the edges of the card.

On the back or opposite side of the card is printed the following, as will be seen by referring to Fig. 2:

. Ferry Company Date Ferry Side Name of boat Time of leaving .A. M .P. M.

Collectors signature Beneath the above is the following direction:

The collector must fill out above and deposit this card in collection-box immediately 011 departure of boat.

In practice the collector is required to punch out from the various sections on the face of the card the amount received by him from the drivers of the vehicles, &c., which pass through the gate to the boat. For instance, if a fare of two cents be paid the collector must punch or out out, by a suitable implement which is provided, a portion of the card-board included in the square of section b, marked 2 cents. Then if a twenty-cent fare be paid the collector must in like manner punch out a portion of the card embraced by the square e and marked 20 cents, and so on, punching out from the proper section, in the View of the driver, the amount received; the several squares being large enough each to permit a dozen pieces (more or less) to be cut or punched therefrom, thus affording ample room for the punching of all the fares which may be collected for any given boat, without destroying the printed amounts or values contained in the squares, which printed values must remain not only to guide the collector, but also to enable the auditor or accountant to ascertain whether the money turned in corresponds or not with that which the punch-holes in the card call for.

As soon as the boat starts, the collector must. write at 70 the amount collected and on the back of the card insert the name of the ferry company, (which, however, I may elect to print) fill out the date at which the card is used, the side of the ferry from which the boat starts, the name of the boat, the timeof its leaving, and then sign the same, all in accordance with the printed form and directions. After doing this he must immediately deposit said card in a locked collection-box, and then prepare to use another card for the next boat-load. At the end of the day or at desired times the companys authorized agent opens said box, gathers the tickets, and receives from the collectoror gateman an amount of money equaling the aggregate number of fares punched out from the batch of tickets, which are preserved as evidence or vouchers.

By the above means and system, which I have already put into practical use, it has been found that the receipts from the fares for vehicles, &c., due to said meanshave greatly increased, as thereby a check is put not only upon the gateman or first collector, but also upon every one who may thereafter handel the money.

WhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. For the use specified, a card divided on one side into sections arranged around and extending to the edges of the card, each of which is printed to indicate a fare of certain amount, and each of which sections is of a size adapted to be punched out at several places or a number of times without mutilating the printed value therein, said card being prepared on its opposite side with denotative matter, substantially as shown and described, and which is arranged centrally of the card andin a manner not to extend out to the edges thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. For the use specified, a card divided on one side into sections arranged around and extending to the edges of the card, each of which sections is printed to indicate a fare of certain amount, and each of which sectionsis of a size adapted to be punched out at several places or a number of times without mutilating the printed value therein,said card being prepared on its opposite side with printed matter and hlanlcplaces arranged centrally of the card and not extending out to the edges thereof and which when filled out will identify the boat the card is used for, the time and place of departure of the boat, and the name of the collectorot' the fares, allsubstantially as set forth.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 19th day of November, A. D. 1890.

ALFRED MAL'lBIE LYNES.

Vitnesses:

JACOB FELBEL, ll. D. DONNELLY. 

